


Just Another Year

by clockwork_spider



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Birthday, Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Healing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 12:27:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14748870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clockwork_spider/pseuds/clockwork_spider
Summary: Yona and Hak, travelling emissaries of Kouka, comes back to Kuuto to wish their old friend a happy birthday. Set in the not-too-distant future.This isn't a story about forgiveness, but time heals, and people can move on, or at least try.I wrote this for Soowon's birthday and forgot to post it on AO3.





	Just Another Year

“Dumplings! Fried dumplings! Two coppers each! Delicious fried dumplings!” The merchant bellows at the top of his lungs.

Everywhere, people are bustling about. It’s the King’s birthday. Such a day warrants nothing less than a national celebration.

Knowing Soowon, He’s probably at least a little embarrassed by all the spectacle. The guy never did have much of an ego. Years of kingship might have changed that. But it was far more likely that Soowon simply saw it as an opportunity to stimulate the economy.

Well… if this _is_ still the Soowon Hak knew, then he is probably sneaking off somewhere in plain clothes, pretending to be a commoner.

“Two pork dumplings, please!” Says a man with startling blond hair.

Like this.

“Thought we’d find you here!” Yona greets.

Even though they were looking for him, Hak is never quite ready to see Soowon. The surprise seems to be mutual.

“Yona… you look well,” Soowon’s smile is soft, warm. “Hak, it’s good to see you.” His eyes flicker to him, careful, hesitant.

For but a moment, words escaped Hak, and something in Soowon’s demeanor deflates ever so slightly.

Hak supposes it is too late to save it. Well… diplomacy is _their_ forte, not his. The dumplings look good, though, so he plucks one from Soowon’s hands.

Crispy, juicy, too much salt, 8/10.

“Hey! I was about to eat that!” Soowon’s voice holds more mirth than indignation.

“It has too much salt, Yoon can make it better,” Hak says, licking his finger, all the while stealing the other dumpling and pushing it into Yona’s mouth with his other hand.

“Mmffff-ak! Oh this is amazing!” Yona’s eyes is doing that cute lighting up thing, she turns to the merchant with a blindingly radiant smile. It’s captivating and terribly unfair.

He hears Soowon chuckle and finds himself catching a look of overwhelming fondness from his friend. It stings a little. Soowon catches his eyes, and turns his smile towards the merchant.

“20 dumplings, for myself and my friends here, please.”

“Coming right up, Mister!”

As they wait for the food, Yona and Soowon start discussing the state of the nation, wasting no time on small-talk. She outlines their trip to Xing, and he talks about the difficulties in the purge of Nadai. Apparently, people have been using it for medicinal purpose. It will be difficult to provide it to those in need, yet protect people from becoming addicts.

“I’ll ask Yoon about this,” Yona nods gravely.

“Is he ready to come work for me yet?” Soowon asks.

“I’ll ask him,” Yona smiles.

“Tell him that Katan can use a new governor. Tae-jun won’t be there forever.”

“I’ll be sure to tell him that. He feels that he’s making more of a difference traveling around the country, though.”

“That is true.” Soowon nods. “Honestly, if I’m born a woman, I’d offer to marry him,” he says jokingly.

“I don’t think you’re quite his type, Soowon.”

“A shame,” Soowon says, with no hint of remorse. The amused crinkles by his eyes never changed. Hak could only stare. How much can Soowon and Yona accomplish when they work together? A single will, aligning. An arrow to the target.

“Will you be staying for long?” Soowon asks, glancing at him.

“No, we’re only dropping by,” Yona answers, “seems like we should head to Shishen next.”

“I see,” he nods in understanding. Soowon has never asked them to stay.

“Here, this is for you,” Yona hands a pouch of dried fruits to Soowon, “It’s Shan Zha. Yoon said it’d help you sleep better… From all of us.”

“It was Yona’s idea. I have nothing to do with it,” Hak clarifies.

_“He’s the king, he can get these anytime.” Hak had said._

_“Yeah, but would he?”_

_“…No. He probably wouldn’t think of it.”_

“How’d you…?” Soowon pauses, looking slightly flustered, slightly overwhelmed. "Thank you…” He says, his smile so radiant that, for a moment, it’s like nothing has ever changed between them, and Hak thinks that it’s all worth it.

“Happy birthday, Soowon,” Yona says, and slowly, gently, pulls him towards herself and wraps her arms around him.

“Happy birthday, Soowon,” Hak joins in, wrapping his arm around the both of them.

Soowon freezes, and Hak finds his hand on the back of Soowon’s head, pushing Soowon closer.

“…Thank you.” Soowon whispers, barely audible.

Hak can feel his friend relaxing against his shoulder. The weight feels familiar. It feels…

**Right.**


End file.
